Liu Pei had no better plan to propose and the two men directed their way to Hsütu, choosing bye-roads rather than highways. When their small supplies ran out they entered a village to beg. But when the people of any place heard that Liu of Yüchou was the man who needed help they vied with each other in offering all that was required.
One day they sought shelter at a house whence a youth came out and made a low obeisance. They asked his name and he gave it as Liu An, of a well known family of hunters. Hearing who the visitor was the hunter wished to lay before him a dish of game, but though he sought for a long time nothing could be found for the table. So he came home, killed his wife and prepared a portion for his guest. While eating Liu Pei asked what flesh it was and the hunter told him “wolf.” Yüan-tê knew no better and ate his fill. Next day at daylight, just as he was leaving, he went to the stables in the rear to get his horse and passing through the kitchen he saw the dead body of a woman lying on the table. The flesh of one arm had been cut away. Quite startled he asked what this meant, and then he knew what he had eaten the night before. He was deeply affected at this proof of his host’s regard and the tears rained down as he mounted his steed at the gate.
“I wish I could go with you,” said Liu An, “but as my mother still lives I cannot go so far from home.”
Liu Pei thanked him and went his way. The party took the road by Liangch‘êng and as they were going out they saw not far off a thick cloud of dust. When the troop came nearer they found they were men of Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s army, and with them they travelled to the main camp where they found Ts‘ao Ts‘ao himself. He wept at the sad story of Liu’s distress, the loss of the city, his brothers and wife and children. When he told him of the hunter who had sacrificed his wife to feed them Ts‘ao sent the hunter a present of a hundred ounces of silver as a reward.[1]
The march then was continued to Chipei, where Hsiahou Yüan welcomed them. They heard that his brother was still ill from the wound he had received in the eye. Ts‘ao Ts‘ao went to the sick man’s bedside to see him and had him removed to Hsütu for skilled treatment.
Presently scouts, sent out particularly for tidings of Lü Pu, returned saying that he had allied himself with the bandits in the east and they were attacking Yenchou. At this Ts‘ao Ts‘ao despatched Ts‘ao Jên with three companies to take P‘eich‘êng, while he, in conjunction with Liu Pei, moved against Lü Pu.
- ↑ An editor here remarks in a note, “With a hundred ounces of silver Liu An could get himself another wife, but I am afraid no one would marry him. And what then? No woman could help reflecting that she might have to serve as the ‘game’ course in a chance visitor’s dinner.”
